the trampling of the lilies-第4章
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〃The dog！〃 ejaculated the school…master。
〃Sh！ let it be。 Perhaps I braved him overmuch。 I will tell you of
it when these good folks have gone。 Do not let us cast a gloom over
their happiness； old master。 And now to embrace this good Charlot。〃
Though inwardly burning with curiosity and boiling with indignation；
Duhamel permitted himself to be guided by La Boulaye； and for the
moment allowed the matter to rest。 La Boulaye himself laughingly
set aside the many questions with which they pressed him。 He drank
the health of the bride…elect … who was not yet of the party … and
he pledged the happiness of the pair。 He embraced Charlot； and even
went so far as to urge upon him； out of his own scanty store； a
louis d'or with which to buy Marie a trinket in memory of him。
Then presently came one with the announcement that M。 le Cure was
waiting； and in answer to that reminder that there was a ceremony
to be gone through； Charlot and his friends flung out of the house
in joyous confusion； and went their way with laughter and jest to
the little church of St。 Ildefonse。
〃We will follow presently … M。 la Boulaye and I … Charlot；〃 Duhamel
had said； as the sturdy bridegroom was departing。 〃We shall be there
to shake Madame by the hand and wish her joy of you。〃
When at last they were alone in the schoolmaster's room； the old
man turned to La Boulaye； the very embodiment of a note of
interrogation。 The secretary told him all that had passed。 He
reddened slightly when it came to speaking of his love for Mlle。
de Bellecour； but he realised that if he would have guidance he must
withhold nothing from his friend。
Duhamel's face grew dark as the young man spoke； and his eyes became
sad and very thoughtful。
〃Alas！〃 he sighed； when La Boulaye had ended。 〃What shall I say to
you； my friend？ The time is not yet for such as we … you and I … to
speak of love for a daughter of the Seigneurie。 It is coming； I doubt
it not。 All things have their climax； and France is tending swiftly
to the climax of her serfdom。 Very soon we shall have the crisis；
this fire that is already smouldering； will leap into a great blaze；
that shall lick the old regime as completely from the face of history
as though it had never been。 A new condition of things will spring
up； of that I am convinced。 Does not history afford us many
instances？ And what is history but the repetition of events under
similar circumstances with different peoples。 It will come in France；
and it will come soon； for it is very direly needed。〃
〃I know； I know； old master；〃 broke in La Boulaye； 〃but how shall all
this help me？ For all that I have the welfare of France at heart； it
weighs little with me at the moment by comparison with my own affairs。
What am I to do； Duhamel？ How am I to take payment for this？〃 And he
pressed his finger to his seared cheek。
〃Wait；〃 said the old man impressively。 〃That is the moral you might
have drawn from what I have said。 Be patient。 I promise you your
patience shall not be overtaxed。 To…day they say that you presume；
that you are not one of them … although； by my soul； you have as
good an air as any nobleman in France。〃 And he eyed the lean height
of the secretary with a glance of such pride as a father might take
in a well…grown son。
Elegant of figure； La Boulaye was no less elegant in dress； for all
that； from head to foot … saving the silver buckles on his shoes and
the unpretentious lace at throat and wrists … he was dressed in the
black that his office demanded。 His countenance； too； though cast
in a mould of thoughtfulness that bordered on the melancholy； bore
a lofty stamp that might have passed for birth and breeding； and
this was enhanced by the careful dressing of his black unpowdered
hair； gathered into a club by a broad ribbon of black silk。
〃But what shall waiting avail me？〃 cried the young man； with some
impatience。 〃What am I to do in the meantime？〃
〃Go to Amiens；〃 said the other。 〃You have learning； you have
eloquence； you have a presence and an excellent address。 For
success no better attributes could be yours。〃 He approached the
secretary； and instinctively lowered his voice。 〃We have a little
club there … a sort of succursal to the Jacobins。 We are numerous；
but we have no very shining member yet。 Come with me； and I will
nominate you。 Beginning thus； I promise you that you shall presently
become a man of prominence in Picardy。 Anon we may send you to Paris
to represent us in the States…General。 Then； when the change comes；
who shall say to what heights it may not be yours to leap？〃
〃I will think of it；〃 answered La Boulaye cordially； 〃and not a
doubt of it but that I will come。 I did not know that you had gone
so far … 〃
〃Sh！ You know now。 Let that suffice。 It is not good to talk of
these things just yet。〃
〃But in the meantime；〃 La Boulaye persisted； 〃what of this？〃 And
again he pointed to his cheek。
〃Why； let it heal； boy。〃
〃I promised the Marquis that I would demand satisfaction of his son；
and I am tempted to do so and risk the consequences。〃
〃I am afraid the consequences will be the only satisfaction that you
will get。 In fact； they will be anticipations rather than
consequences； for they'll never let you near the boy。〃
〃I know not that；〃 he answered。 〃The lad is more generous than his
sire； and if I were to send him word that I have been affronted； he
might consent to meet me。 For the rest； I could kill him
blindfolded；〃 he added； with a shrug。
〃Bloodthirsty animal！〃 rejoined Duhamel。 〃Unnatural tutor！ Do you
forget that you were the boy's preceptor？〃
With that Duhamel carried the argument into new fields； and showed
La Boulaye that to avenge upon the young Vicomte the insults received
at the hands of the old Marquis was hardly a worthy method of taking
vengeance。 At last he won him to his way； and it was settled that on
the morrow La Boulaye should journey with him to Amiens。
〃But； Caron； we are forgetting our friend Charlot and his bride；〃 he
broke off suddenly。 〃Come； boy； the ceremony will be at an end by
this。〃
He took La Boulaye by the arm； and led him out and down the street
to the open space opposite St。 Ildefonse。 The wedding…party was
streaming out through the door of the little church into the warm
sunshine of that April morning。 In the churchyard they formed into
a procession of happy be…ribboned and nosegayed men and women … the
young preceding； the old following； the bridal couple。 Two by two
they came； and the air rang with their laughter and joyous chatter。
Then another sound arose； and if the secretary and the pedagogue
could have guessed of what that beating of hoofs was to be the
prelude； they had scarce smiled so easily as they watched the
approaching cortege。
》From a side street there now emerged a gaily apparelled cavalcade。
At its head rode the Marquis de Bellecour； the Vicomte； and a
half…dozen other gentlemen； followed by； perhaps； a dozen lacqueys。
It was a hunting party that was making its way across the village
to the open country beyond。 The bridal procession crossing their
path caused them to draw rein； and to wait until it should have
passed … which argued a very condescending humour； for it would not
have been out of keeping with their habits to have ridden headlong
through it。 Their presence cast a restraint upon the peasants。 The
jests were silenced； the laughter hushed； and like a flight of
pigeons under the eye of the hawk； they scurried past the Seigneurie；
and some of them prayed God that they might be suffered to pass
indeed。
Bellecour eyed them in cold disdain； until presently Charlot and his
bride were abreast of him。 Then his eye seemed to take life and his
sallow face to kindle into expression。 He leant lightly from the
saddle。
〃Stay！〃 he commanded coldly； and as they came to a halt； daring not
to disobey him … 〃approach； girl；〃 he added。
Charlot's brows grew black。 He looked up at the Marquis； but if his
glance was sullen and threatening； it was also not free from fear。
Marie obeyed； with eyes downcast and a heightened colour。 If she
conjectured at all why they had been
